A 29-year-old Irish man died in an accident at the Bansko mountain ski resort in southern Bulgaria The incident occurred on Tuesday when the man lost his balance and plummeted approximately 1,900 feet (600 meters) down the mountainside Mountain rescue teams quickly responded to the emergency locating the severely injured tourist and transporting him to a hospital in nearby Razlog The man succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday and a full assessment of his injuries was carried out But despite all efforts of our medical team he eventually succumbed to his grave injuries” The rescue operation faced challenges when a dispatched helicopter aborted its mission due to technical issues ground teams had to transport the injured tourist using a stretcher and snowmobile before transferring him to an ambulance It boasts 14 lifts and approximately 46 miles (75 kilometers) of pistes The resort town is popular with local and international skiers and riders The resort will host two FIS World Cup alpine skiing events on February 10-11 The giant slalom and slalom races will take place on the challenging Tomba course marking Bansko’s ninth time hosting World Cup competitions The Mountain Rescue Service has warned about icy mountain conditions urging tourists to exercise caution and avoid steep routes The ski and snowboard site with intelligence A tourist plunged almost 2,000 feet to his death while taking photos of the surrounding landscape with a group at a ski resort A 29-year-old man from Ireland died after falling from the Bansko mountain ski resort in southern Bulgaria last week which lies at the foot of the Pirin mountains is one of the most popular ski sites in Bulgaria for foreign tourists According to CBS News, the tourist was said to be part of a group taking photos of the scenery at the ski resort last Tuesday afternoon the man reportedly lost his balance and plummeted from a height of around 1,900 feet Mountain rescue teams quickly responded to the emergency and found the tourist He was taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Razlog in a serious condition with multiple injuries and a full assessment of his injuries was carried out” at the hospital he remained in critical condition and died on Wednesday “Despite all efforts of our medical team he eventually succumbed to his grave injuries,” Dr The man’s death at the Bulgarian ski resort is the latest in a string of incidents that have seen tourists being injured or dying while in the pursuit of a photograph. A recent study suggested that taking selfies and photos may pose a “public health problem” amid the near ubiquitous use of smartphones and social media apps The paper scraped news reports of selfie-related deaths as well as a cross-sectional study by the iO Foundation that found 379 people were killed while taking selfies around the world between January 2008 and July 2021 The researchers identified falls from height as the most common type of injury with the most common cause of death being falling from cliffs or waterfalls while attempting to take a selfie Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos. Become a PetaPixel Member and access our content ad-free. © 2025 PetaPixel Inc. All rights reserved. 2025·Snowboard AlpineThe 2024-25 VISA FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup tour’s blazing pace rolled on to Bulgaria for a parallel giant slalom race in Bansko The top riders in the world delivered on the drama amidst a joyful crowd and picturesque landscape The sun was shining and the conditions were perfect as Ramona Theresia Hofmesiter (GER) won her second race in a row and Andreas Prommegger (AUT) finally topped the podium for the first time this season It has been a difficult season for the defending overall champion Hofmeister but things seem to be turning around for the snowboard star Hofmeister is back in form as she put together perfect runs on Saturday on her way to victory It was a second-straight win for Hofmeister after she took first in Bad Gastein earlier this week That gives her two straight wins after missing every podium so far this season It is her 51st career World Cup podium after she led team Germany to a podium finish in the mixed team event earlier this week as well It was another mighty matchup in the big final as Hofmeister went up against the current overall leader Tsubaki Miki (JPN) It was the second-straight time these two stars faced off in the big final Hofmeister has gotten the best of Miki both times it was a perfect week for me,”– Hofmeister said.Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) holds up her winning check © Miha Matavz/FISIt was an extra special day for Hofmeister she dedicated the victory to a special member of her team and former coach who lost his life last year a trainer from our team passed away last summer we miss you,”– Hofmeister said.Hofmeister now moves into fourth in the overall standings after a rough start to the season The win gives her 22 career individual World Cup victories Miki continues her incredible consistency this season She finished second for the third time this season The young Japanese star has podiumed in eight of nine individual races this season tightening her grip on the overall standings lead Rounding out the podium was Aleksandra Krol-Walas (POL) who was ecstatic to win the small final The Polish snowboarder was smiling from ear-to-ear when she clinched her spot in the top three It is a great comeback season for Krol-Walas who missed last season It is the fifth podium of the season for Krol-Walas She holds the yellow bib as the PGS leader Behind the top three was Michelle Dekker (NED) who put together another solid day Gloria Kotnik (SLO) ended the day in fifth Former Bansko winner Julie Zogg (AUI) was knocked out in the first round Sabine Payer (AUT) was dealt a tough draw once again and lost to Miki in the quarterfinals Jasmin Coratti (ITA) was also knocked out in the quarterfinals Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) - 273 points Andreas Prommegger (AUT) gets his first win of the season after three previous podiums It was a tough earned victory for the Austrian veteran against Benjamin (Karl) and all the others it was all amazing,”– Prommegger said.The win moves Prommegger into first place in the overall standings race for the crystal globe He also slides up to second in the PGS race It was the 73rd World Cup career podium for the 44-year-old He took down his teammate Benjamin Karl (AUT) in the final Karl returned after skipping Bad Gastein for personal reasons It was a battle of wily old vets as the 39-year-old Karl reached his 57th career World Cup podium Both Austrians will be among the favorites going into day two in Bansko Prommegger is hoping to sweep the weekend’s races I have fun and that is the most important thing It is really tough and powerful riding on this slope but I just want to have fun I can always be in front,”– Prommegger said.Men's podium led by Andreas Prommegger (AUT) with Benjamin Karl (AUT) and Gabriel Messner (ITA) following © Miha Matavz/FISRounding out the podium was Gabriel Messner (ITA) He posted the fastest qualifying time before suffering a DNF in the semifinals One of the best stories on the day was Radoslav Yankov (BUL) gunning for glory in front of the home crowd The local favorite was attempting to win in his home country for the second time in his career the 34-year-old ran into some friendly fire as fellow Bulgarian Termel Zamfirov (BUL) rose up to the challenge The 19-year-old Zamfirov made his ninth career start and edged out Yankov in a thrilling quarterfinal matchup The youngster then went on to lose the small final to set a new career-high finish PGS leader Bormolini (ITA) finished seventh Their Italian teammate Daniele Bagozza (ITA) did not qualify for the finals The men and women will return to the same slope for another PGS race on Sunday in Bansko The finals will start at 14:15 local time with qualifying occurring in the morning beforehand There will also be an awards ceremony at 18:00 at Bansko's main square on Saturday and a public bib draw at 18:30 local time Race Calendar Bansko PGS Results 2024-25 Men's Cup Standings 2024-25 Women's Cup Standings Photos Videos with victory in the downhill at Bansko on Friday (24 January) the double Olympic champion has shown she is more than competitive in speed events in the past And she clinched her second career World Cup downhill victory at the Bulgarian resort just over two years after her first at Lake Louise The Olympic Winter Games are just a TICKET away 🏂❄️🎿 Sign-up to get a reminder of when the next tickets go live and all the latest news of your favourite national Olympic teams and athletes trying to qualify The early starters found life tough on a course full of curves and undulations which gave the skiers little time to catch their breath Haehlen had been quickest in Thursday training Shiffrin was down on Haehlen at the second time check but skied the mid-section of the course superbly to go into the lead by 0.23s with a time of 1:29.79 Two skiers later was Brignone who was very quick at the top and led Shiffrin at the first three time checks But she lost time on the bottom half and finished 0.18s outside the American's time in second place This race replaced the downhill scheduled for Val d'Isere earlier in the season with a second Bansko downhill being held on Saturday followed a Super-G on Sunday. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. The victim was part of a group taking pictures of the scenery when he lost his balance and fell I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A 29-year-old tourist from Ireland has died after falling from a mountain while taking photos in Bulgaria The man died on Wednesday from injuries sustained the previous day in a fall at the Bansko mountain ski resort in southern Bulgaria The tourist was seriously injured after falling on Tuesday from a height of about 600 meters (1,900 feet). He was found by a mountain rescue service team and taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Razlog in a serious condition with multiple injuries, emergency services said. According to initial information, the victim was part of a group taking pictures of the surrounding scenery when he lost his balance and fell. He was taken to a hospital where “life-saving measures were taken, and a full assessment of his injuries was carried out. But despite all efforts of our medical team, he eventually succumbed to his grave injuries,” Dr. Valentin Belchev told The Associated Press. Bansko is in the south of the country at the foot of the Pirin Mountains. The mountain town has carved a reputation as the country’s top ski resort with a network of 14 lifts and around 75km of pistes. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The Sunday TimesThe excitement is building February half-term is almost upon us and for thousands of British families that means the start of their annual ski holiday They’re scanning webcams to check on the snowfall rooting in the back of their drawers for ski socks and — most of all — buzzing at the thought of getting back on the slopes He is ex-army with tours of Afghanistan under his belt as well as a successful winter ascent of Mont Blanc He’s now based in London and works as a project manager “Our two sons are especially excited,” he tells me “The eldest has just finished his GCSE mocks He desperately needs the fresh mountain air as well as some exercise and a break from his screens.” We wanted a change of scene — and to rein in the price of the holiday.” They’re not alone This winter the ski specialist tour operator Crystal reports 25 per cent growth in bookings to this traditionally affordable ski destination with packages still available for February half term And it’s not the only “fringe” country that’s on the up — right now Norway is even more in vogue A combination of the weakening krone currency and an increase in the number of flight options from the UK is helping to stoke demand there Drei Zinnen is on the northern edge of the Italian DolomitesTSCHURTSCHENTHALER CHRISTIANThis season Crystal increased its roster of Norwegian resorts to eight and has reported mushrooming demand — up 115 per cent year on year Its February half-term programme is now sold out although there is still availability in March self-catering packages start from £546pp including flights with accommodation in apartments only a couple of minutes’ walk from the slopes It’s not hard to understand why demand for these B-list destinations is growing Ski holidays have always been a big-ticket expense It’s not just that flights and accommodation jump in peak holiday weeks; lift passes ski hire and lessons will significantly boost the final cost In recent years prices have (for the most part) risen inexorably — and this winter we seem to have reached a tipping point • The £78 ski weekend (with flights and accommodation included) our customers fall into one of two categories: those for whom money seems to be no object and those that are having to cut their cloth,” says Nick Edwards of Snowfinders a travel agency and tailor-made tour operator Post Office Travel Money combined typical prices for six days’ ski hire tuition and lunches to produce a league table of in-resort costs — and revealed that in the past 11 years these had doubled almost everywhere the total had risen from £503.66 to £1,141.63 but from a lower base — its total now stands at £572.95 Ski resorts like Bansko are smaller than their French counterpartsALAMYHowever this doesn’t mean that skiers in Bulgaria will be having a holiday only half as good as their counterparts in the French resort its ski areas are much smaller than those at the mega-resorts of the Alps — and you’ll need to be up early to dodge the peak-season morning lift queues in some places — but if you pay close attention to the piste maps pick a resort that suits your ability and book plenty of lessons (so you don’t get bored skiing the same pistes) • This Italian resort is Europe’s best-value ski break – here’s why There I discovered a surprisingly steep and feisty handful of pistes and had two blissful days in the company of Krasi the Carver (my instructor Krasimir Vasilev of the Samokov ski school) and a group of capable Brits most indefatigable instructors I’ve skied with sharp-edged turns down the mountain for a couple of days made me a steadier and braver skier too At the time of writing there are still February half-term Bulgarian packages left with Crystal (crystalski.co.uk) and Heidi (heidi.com) They start at about £1,000pp half-board — cheaper than a self-catering trip to a big-name French resort in the same week Sean Newsom skiing in BorovetsBulgaria and Norway aren’t the only destinations enjoying a B-list bounce Snowfinders is experiencing a surge in demand for Andorra in the Pyrenees while Heidi reports that Zakopane in Poland “has seen huge growth since we started offering it this season” Thanks to increased flights to the Scandinavian Mountains airport in Sweden bookings with SkiScandinavia have jumped for Stoten which is 20 minutes’ drive from the arrivals lounge • 10 of the best ski resorts in the world for 2025 many lesser-known Italian resorts — including Bardonecchia high-altitude Passo Tonale and spirited little La Thuile — offer good value as do the undiscovered resorts of East Tyrol chic but affordable ski chalets can still be found thanks to the growing OVO Network of properties in less famous resorts ski-out Chalet Mussol in St Nicolas de Véroce in March starts at £285pp Perhaps it’s no surprise then that bookings across its portfolio are up 44 per cent year on year OVO Network has a range of affordable chalets across FranceWe’re also learning how to look fabulous for less thanks to ski-clothing rental companies such as EcoSki “I wanted to help to reduce the unnecessary footprint that ski clothing had,” says its founder “But I didn’t want customers looking — and feeling — threadbare and dreary So our stock includes both hard-working technical clothing and pieces that are pure glam.” Among its outfits this year is a shimmering gold Cortina puffer jacket with black Holly salopettes from Protest that can be rented for £81 a week; to buy it would be £290 There’s one other significant benefit of affordable skiing chief operating officer of the Ski Club of Great Britain has discovered since he started holidaying in Drei Zinnen On the northern edge of the Italian Dolomites the resort was forged in 2014 from the union of three smaller ski areas — and is almost unknown in the UK But as word spread among his friends about how much more affordable it was over half-term than its A-list competitors His family holiday has become a social event Does he miss holidaying in resorts such as Val d’Isère Why would I be looking over my shoulder at somewhere else?” “We’ve got about 20 children and teenagers coming on the trip this year,” he says “That’s enough to have a pretty good snowball fight.” Have you skied in Bulgaria – or are you planning to Become a subscriber and along with unlimited digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times you can enjoy a collection of travel offers and competitions curated by our trusted travel partners Sign up for the travel newsletter and follow us on Instagram and X HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase as Marco Odermatt took second with overall season leader Alexis Pinturault in third Picture by 2021 Getty ImagesBy Andrew BinnerMathieu Faivre laid down an impressive pair of runs to win the men's Giant Slalom alpine ski World Cup race in Bansko But Faivre ensured there was no doubt this time with the fastest time in both the first and second runs for the first time in his career Marco Odermatt finished 0.75 seconds back in second to move up to second in the overall rankings The Swiss starlet is now just 45 points behind overall leader Alexis Pinturault of France The French men occupied three of the top four spots with Thibaut Favrot just missing out on the podium "I'm really happy about the race and now I'm going to have some rest!" a visibly exhausted Faivre said after he now moves up to fifth in the Giant Slalom season standings with two races remaining 2025·Snowboard AlpineThe 2024-25 VISA FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup returned to Bansko for a second day of PGS racing It was deja vu all over again at the top of the women’s side as the defending overall champion announced to the world that she is all the way back Ramona Theresia Hofmeister made it three individual wins in a row with her victory over overall leader Tsubaki Miki (JPN) It was the third race in a row where the two met in the big final It was a sweep of the weekend for the German and a cherry on top of a near-perfect week “It would be nice to be back on a win streak three victories and a second in the team event thank you Bansko for these two perfect races,”– Hofmeister said.Hofmeister struggled in the first part of the season with disappointing results and no podium finishes It was a strange sight for the defending champion who won five races last season on the way to the crystal globe The two wins in Bansko give Hofmeister 22 individual World Cup career wins Hofmeister jumps into third in the overall standings just 20 points behind second-place Sabine Payer (AUT) she is such a strong athlete,”– Hofmesiter said.Miki maintains a tight grip on the overall standings as she settled for second-place for the third straight race She reached the podium in nine of ten races this season and continues her wildly successful season despite the resurgence of her on-course rival Hofmeister Miki also moved into the PGS lead with the finish It was all chalk on the women’s side with the top four qualifiers moving on to the semifinals Rounding out the podium was Michelle Dekker (NED) who cruised to a win in the small final It is the second podium of the season for Dekker Jasmin Coratti (ITA) ended the day in fourth Payer got another tough draw in the first round and was edged out by Zogg Aleksandra Krol-Walas (POL) was the PGS leader coming into the day after a podium finish on Saturday Things did not go as well on Sunday as she was upset in the first round by Ladina Caviezel (SUI) Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) - 373 points The men’s side had plenty of huge matchups Dario Cavieziel (SUI) came out on top for his first win of the season In the big final Caviezel edged his good friend Gabriel Messner (ITA) He is a great friend of mine so it was a big fight especially until the middle then I heard he made a mistake and then I got a bit nervous I really enjoyed it and am super happy with this victory,”– Caviezel said.The win gives Cavieziel 17 career World Cup podiums and two on the season Messner settled for second after a third-place finish on Saturday in Bansko He now has four podiums this season and is searching for his first career win The action started early on the men’s side with multiple headline-worthy matchups in the first round In a rematch of the all-Bulgarian quarterfinal from Saturday Radoslav Yankov (BUL) got his revenge against the younger Tervel Zamfirov (BUL) to advance There was also a rematch of the big final from Saturday with Andreas Prommegger (AUT) proving too fast for Benjamin Karl (AUT) once again PGS leader Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) started his run by taking out his teammate Edwin Coratti (ITA) in round one Bormolini and Prommegger were then stunned in the quarterfinals Bormolini maintains the yellow bib as the PGS leader and Prommegger maintains the orange as the overall leader The small final brought plenty of drama as local favorite Yankov was gunning for the podium in front of the home fans after the results FIS officials disqualified Payer and moved Yankov to third “They said maybe he was disqualified and then they said no Then I was thinking I would have liked to be on the podium in front of the crowd And then this happened but the main thing is that I finished on the podium and did this and I am really happy,”– Yankov said.Dario Caviezel (SUI) takes the lead as they race down the slope © Miha Matavz/FISThe situation was reviewed and confirmed before the awards ceremony with Payer in third place the competition jury was informed immediately that the wrong video was reviewed The correct video was reviewed during a second jury meeting while the men's awards ceremony was underway In the second review Payer was determined to miss a gate and disqualified thus moving Yankov into third FIS Chief race director Snowboard Alpine Uwe Beier released a statement explaining the decision we immediately called all four jury members together reviewed the correct footage from the small final and found clear evidence of a gate mistake The rider had indeed gone inside the stubby as could be clearly seen in the updated video The remaining part of the stubby was visibly sticking out Video was shared with all the coaches and teams in the spirit of transparency,” Beier said Yankov now has 11 career World Cup podiums He also moved into second in the standings for the PGS crystal globe Tim Mastnak (SLO) and Daniele Bagozza (ITA) failed to qualify for the knockout rounds The VISA FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup will return next weekend with another PGS race in Rogla There will be qualifying in the morning and the finals are scheduled for 13:00 local time Photos A man has died while skiing in the Bansko resort located in the Pirin mountains according to the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) was skiing on slope 6 when he lost control and collided with nearby trees The location of the incident was just 150 meters away from one of the bars above Kolarski Pat Authorities have been notified and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his death The police are currently unable to provide further details on the case as stated by the press office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Cases of acute gastrointestinal illness continue to be reported in Bansko A recent survey by digital payments company Visa reveals that most Bulgarians planning a winter vacation prefer to pay digitally at ski resorts A tragic incident occurred in Pirin when a 29-year-old Irish tourist fell into a chute under Todorka Peak and later died from his injuries Albert Popov has achieved a historic milestone in Bulgarian alpine skiing securing his first World Cup victory in the night slalom at the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio Bulgaria's ski resorts are operating at full capacity this winter season thanks to an early snowfall that helped kick off the season one of Bulgaria's most popular ski resorts has been left entirely without electricity as confirmed by a statement on the resort's official Facebook page Israel has turned to Bulgaria for assistance in battling the rapidly advancing wildfires in areas near Jerusalem The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad A 25-year-old man is in critical condition following an accident at the amusement park in Yambol A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter Bansko, Bulgaria, has been recognized as one of the top travel destinations for 2025, ranking third in Lonely Planet's list of best travel spots and ten countries that should be on every traveler's radar with an emphasis on lesser-known "gems" that tourists should not miss and regions were selected based on several criteria "wow factor," and a strong commitment to sustainability Besides the vibrant canal banks of Toulouse Cameroon ranks first among countries for its beautiful beaches followed by culturally rich Lithuania and the protected marine areas of Fiji praised for their vibrant culinary scene and rich history Ryanair has analyzed booking trends for the period from April 17–24 to determine the most favored Easter travel destinations for Bulgarian passengers the UK is implementing a new system for issuing electronic travel permits Tourist agency GoVola has reported a substantial increase in airline ticket sales for 2024 reflecting both the growing enthusiasm of Bulgarians for travel and the company’s expanding presence in the market Travel agency GoVola reports a significant increase in travel bookings among Bulgarian tourists with January emerging as the most cost-effective time to secure flights Playing casino games on your phone isn’t just about killing time anymore online casinos continue to attract more and more players due to their convenience Bulgaria has become one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for beauty and wellness tourism Is a THC vape pen better than traditional smoking This blog will discuss each method's pros and cons to help you decide With Its simplicity and ability to bring people together A growing number of people enjoy playing online casino games Best in Travel is here! Discover 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you can enjoy exciting mountain activities and a charming historic center year-round Famous for its ski slopes, the small mountain town of Bansko, Bulgaria is drawing savvy travelers all year long with a diverse array of activities social butterflies and travelers looking for peace and quiet surrounded by nature will love this little town Bansko has become a favorite of non-Bulgarians and digital nomads choosing this place as a new home base – and for good reason Whether you’re visiting just for a weekend or staying for a couple of months start planning now with this list of unmissable things to do in Bansko Bankso, Bulgaria is one of the best cities to visit next year. See our full list of Best in Travel 2025 winners.  Bansko’s cobblestoned Old Town is the heart of the city, with many families having lived in its typically Bulgarian houses for generations. Take a stroll through these streets and hear the echoes of centuries-old traditions and the warm, welcoming spirit of the locals. The friendly guides of Bansko Free Tour can provide a lively overview of the town and a first-hand account of what it’s like living there Local tip: A small river runs alongside Gotse Delchev St – making it a great spot for a relaxing promenade. Grab a smoothie at the newly opened Cherry Berry and snap a photo with the stunning Pirin Mountains as a backdrop These fascinating sites reflect Bansko’s rich history Planning tip: Stop by the Bansko Visitor Information Center to get information from the helpful staff for each site’s location, current opening hours and other recommendations in town Centrally located St Trinity Church stands as a testament to Bansko’s spiritual and cultural heritage intricate woodwork and an impressive bell tower Come in the warmer months to spot the family of storks that nest in the belfry Local tip: If you visit Bansko around Orthodox Easter join locals in lighting a candle and walking around the church during the traditional celebrations at the midnight mass that ushers in Easter Sunday The Bansko region is proud of its distinctive local cuisine. Many local taverns – called mehanas – serve traditional Bulgarian fare and local Bansko specialties Take a table to dig into dishes like chomlek (veal and potato stew) and kapama (a mix of rice It’s hard to resist an order of Banski starets (which translates to “Bansko old man”) a dried-pork sausage served as an appetizer) Local tip: A few favorite local mehanas are Obetsanova Мehana, Bai Kotse Bansko draws downhill enthusiasts from all over Europe – and the world – with slopes that are great for both beginners and advanced skiers and snowboarders Winter is also when all the town’s restaurants Local tip: We recommend a Bansko getaway toward the end of ski season No matter the season, every week farmers and traders from the area bring their local produce to the buzzing Bansko Sunday market Shoppers find fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables A regular flea market also takes place at the same time In the summer, Bankso’s gondola becomes a fun attraction for both kids and adults, taking you up to the summer attractions at Banderishka Polyana These include Europe's longest slide (400m/1312ft) Planning tip: Don’t miss Baikusheva Mura a 1300-year-old pine tree that lies at the end of an hour-long hike from the gondola station As you hurtle down a mountain-biking trail you’ll discover why Bansko is a playground for action sports – especially downhill mountain biking in the summer The local biking community maintains several exciting routes Enjoy the adrenaline rush as you navigate the tracks and take in the beautiful mountain scenery Planning tip: Take your bike on the Gondola lift during the summer months to enjoy trails that start higher up in the mountain And you enjoy them over and over with a day or even full-summer-season pass for bikers Planning tip: A week-long festival with networking sessions, lectures and activities, the Bansko Nomad Fest at the end of June attracts more than 500 attendees from all over the world To truly experience what makes Bansko special, you have to hit the hiking trails in the Pirin Mountains, which offer stunning vistas of peaks, meadows and lakes. The majestic Vihren Peak is the star of every postcard, while Todorka Peak impresses with impressive views of Vihren and other high points. For the brave, Koncheto Ridge offers a challenging, adrenaline-filled adventure. Planning tip: The summer hiking season starts in late May and early June, when the snow starts melting, and continues to October. Scientists have known for some time that tree rings record the history of avalanches Now a new method allows them to study the rings without killing the tree The impact of an avalanche is clear on the outside of the tree The growth rings become slightly irregular and warped Often scientists have studied regions where avalanches are common, such as Alaska and the Rocky Mountains. Tree ring records of avalanches in the Eaglecrest ski area of Alaska, for example, date back to the 1800s. In the Rockies tree rings show that widespread avalanches occur about every five years Until recently, researchers had to cut down the tree to obtain a full cross-section of its trunk. But a new study in Bulgaria used a different method the team used an increment borer to extract thick wood cores from the trunks of hundreds of pine trees “It’s a very long process,” admitted co-author Nickolay Tsvetanov Researchers targeted the Bansko Ski resort in Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains skiers and snowboarders are venturing off-piste in ever greater numbers so understanding avalanche history is increasingly important The results showed that avalanches have occurred in the area since at least the 1600s with 20 large-scale avalanches since the 1800s Though one of these matches an avalanche record from February 12 the other mega-slides were completely unknown “We don’t have written histories of these events We can only rely on tree rings,” commented co-author Momchil Panayotov the team could estimate how large the various slides were This meant they could date the avalanches and see how climate affected their occurrence and size They hope the results will help with avalanche safety around the popular resort and beyond Rebecca McPhee is a freelance writer for ExplorersWeb Rebecca has been writing about open water sports Rebecca worked as an Editorial Assistant at Taylor and Francis Based in the UK Rebecca is a science teacher and volunteers for a number of marine charities Sign up to receive ExplorersWeb content direct to your inbox once a week An avalanche in Pirin has tragically resulted in the death of one snowboarder and left another injured. The incident took place near the Vihren hut, between the ski area in Bansko and the Vihren hut, shortly before 3 p.m. Three young men, who were skiing and snowboarding off the slopes above the Bansko ski area, were caught in the avalanche. While one managed to avoid being buried, the other two were swept away by the snow. The survivor, who was wearing avalanche safety equipment, was able to dig out his companions. However, despite his efforts, one of the men, aged 25, did not survive. The other snowboarder sustained injuries, but early assessments suggest his condition is not life-threatening. The avalanche was likely triggered by freeriders descending a chute on Todorka Peak towards the Vihren hut. A rescue team consisting of eight members and a dog was dispatched immediately after the alarm. Thanks to their swift action, the situation was contained. The local mountain rescue service issued a warning to the public, highlighting the dangers of skiing outside the designated ski areas in Pirin. Recent warmer temperatures have made avalanche conditions particularly hazardous in the region. The rescue service urges all those venturing into the mountains to exercise extreme caution and ensure they are properly equipped for such risks. We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you! Firefighters are battling major blazes in several Bulgarian mountain regions Efforts to battle the three major forest fires in Southwestern Bulgaria, which intensified yesterday, are ongoing In a harrowing turn of events, a group of Greek tourists sparked a fatal avalanche in Borovets, Bulgaria, while venturing off-track for a photo opportunity An avalanche has struck the ski resort of Borovets, engulfing a group of Greek skiers and snowboarders in its path. The incident occurred this afternoon in the Markujik 3 area, leaving one person missing A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area, with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device, and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter. The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site Skiing in the Balkans offers cheaper rates World Cup pistes and surprisingly lively towns Europe’s wealth of ski resorts attracts visitors from around the world, with many returning year after year to the slopes in famed mountain ranges such as the Alps and the Dolomites While the mountains of France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria have become some of the world’s most sought-after ski destinations more and more people are exploring further afield in a bid to save money on a family getaway or simply party hard for less on their next trip to the slopes One country in particular hits the sweet spot of resorts with slopes that appeal to beginners and families great affordability and plenty of choice for trips Bulgaria’s resorts may not be as plentiful as those of France, but where our over-the-Channel neighbour comes with a sometimes soaring price tag for its skiing holidays, Bulgaria has built its reputation on offering a good time for less, whether you’re on the pistes, at apres or simply in your hotel. From the more renowned to the lesser-known, we’ve rounded up the eastern European nation’s best resorts Read more: Why this year could be one of the best ski seasons in recent memory Located in the south of the country at the foot of the Pirin Mountains Bansko is a mountain town with a small maze of winding streets lined with terracotta-roofed stone buildings providing a distinct mountain style with a Bulgarian It has carved a reputation as Bulgaria’s top ski resort with the addition of a gondola system in the early 2000s leading to the opening up of what is now a network of 14 lifts and around 75km of pistes Prices are still as affordable as you’d hope for from Bulgaria but the resort has made an effort to shift its “cheap and cheerful” reputation with consistently rising standards in accommodation The ski area features World Cup runs like Tomba and some off-piste to add to gentle beginners’ runs while those looking for off-the-slopes action should enjoy the town’s vibrant atmosphere and lively apres scene You’ll be six minutes away from the slopes on foot Read more: Best ski resorts for late season snow Borovets is the closest (large) resort to the capital located under a 90-minute drive south of the airport It sits among the country’s tallest mountain range at the foot of the nearly 3,000m-tall Mount Musala but usually offers a longer season – ending as late as May – slopes that are up to 2,500m high and the opportunity for night skiing under the floodlights the slopes cater far more to beginner and intermediate skiers – around 24km and 29km respectively – though there is some off-piste if you go high enough and some difficult reds around Yastrebetz Coming down the hill and into the pretty town centre Borovets is a blend of large all-inclusive resorts all offering great value and a potentially raucous apres Other winter activities are especially popular here too including winter walking and the opportunity to take on a 10km cross-country ski circuit Crystal Ski offers seven nights at the Musala Hotel located right on the slopes and providing ski-in/ski-out access This hotel sits among the pine woods just 300m away from the town centre and features a swimming pool sauna and spacious rooms with functional interiors Read more: Why you should take the rebooted snow train to the French Alps A purpose-built resort set in a Norwegian spruce forest near Plovdiv Pamporovo is a popular destination that’s renowned for its beginners’ areas with many holidaymakers coming to learn or hone their skills the area operates together with nearby Mechi Chal-Chepelare (more on that below) Pamporovo has benefited from recent investments in its lift system and snowmaking Over 50 per cent of runs cater best to beginners with only around 5km of runs in Pamporovo itself suited to advanced skiers But off-piste routes and runs around the Snejanka peak give experts some terrain to explore Pamporovo has fortunately managed to retain all the appeal of a classic Bulgarian resort with affordable accommodation and dining options and an energetic apres scene spurred on by cheap drinking options Read more: Best apres-ski holiday destinations Rooms are pared-back and slightly old-fashioned but for comfort and value in a lesser-explored destination Bulgaria’s resorts start to get a lot smaller exceptional affordability and proximity to the larger resorts means that some are worth considering especially if you can combine visits to different resorts on one trip lying close to the capital and around an hour from Borovets It features around 20km of slopes served by seven lifts 12km of which are blue runs catering to beginner level this is not the place to come if you’re an expert who wants to test themselves though prices – from the ski passes to the apres drinks – are adjusted accordingly making it a worthwhile and affordable detour on your Bulgarian ski trip Due to Vitosha’s small size and proximity to the capital, few flight and hotel packages are available from the UK, but it is a popular day trip with hotels available nearby. The Moreni Hotel is less than an hour from central Sofia and sits on the eastern side of Mount Vitosha close to ski lifts and with exceptional bar spa and sauna facilities to add to its stylish modern rooms Read more: Why it’s not too late to learn to ski as an adult with the first ski school having opened there in 1954 it has partnered with nearby Pamporovo to offer an extra 20km of runs to the area with recently added snowmaking systems giving the area better coverage and ensuring a season that runs until mid-April The pistes here are mainly divided between beginner and intermediate levels with little provision for advanced or expert skiers bar a few red runs the Mechi Chal 1 provides a 3 km-long piste that’s one of the longest in the country The resort is a good choice for a relaxed break as the town is a more tranquil alternative to busier Many who ski in Mechi-Chal will choose to stay in Pamporovo, so opt for a trip to the MPM Family Hotel Merryan booked through Heidi You’ll get all the benefits of being in Pamporovo while being just 15 minutes away from the slopes of Chepelare in an intimate hotel with plenty of alpine character and spacious Read more: Best luxury ski resorts {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/in_travel/in_europe/image/gallery_mpu_sb","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"iStock-635973512.jpg","description":"Wooden chalet, houses and snow mountains landscape panorama in bulgarian ski resort Bansko, Bulgaria","caption":"Bulgaria has built a reputation based on being an affordable and family-friendly alternative to famous Alpine resorts Bulgaria has built a reputation based on being an affordable and family-friendly alternative to famous Alpine resorts The Bansko Municipality will build an airport for small planes facilitating access for tourists and increasing safety in the resort The new infrastructure will include an 800-meter runway and a heliport useful for both the rapid transportation of visitors and emergency interventions Local authorities and the tourism industry believe that this project will contribute to the resort’s popularity placing it among the most sought-after winter destinations in the world Discussions regarding the airport construction have recently resumed during a public consultation held at the Tourist Information Center in Bansko The municipality's plan aims not only at tourism development but also at creating essential infrastructure for rapid medical interventions "The project is part of our vision for better connectivity and improved living conditions for all residents," stated Deputy Mayor Eng The tourism industry in Bansko considers the project essential for increasing the resort's popularity The President of the Bansko Tourism Business Union is optimistic about the positive impact of the new investment "Tourism needs this step. And we will be happy if the project is implemented," Bystrin declared to Economic.bg the airport will bring benefits not only to Bansko but to the entire region The authorities have an ambitious plan to place the resort among the top winter destinations in the world The heavy snowfall in recent days has created ideal conditions for an early start to the winter season in Bansko Originally scheduled to open on December 14 the ski area will now welcome visitors from December 6 with the exception of Chalin Valog and the ski road leading to Bansko Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy excellent facilities and a vibrant atmosphere as the resort kicks off the season ahead of schedule Prices for ski passes remain unchanged from last season making the experience accessible for a broad range of visitors Children up to 7 years old can enjoy the slopes for just 1 lev and adults can purchase a pass for 96 leva with prices ranging from 900 leva for children to 1,900 leva for adults The season cards provide unlimited access to slopes and lifts catering to locals and regular visitors alike a picturesque town nestled at the foot of the Pirin Mountains is a renowned winter destination in Bulgaria and the Balkans and diverse recreational activities has made it a favorite among winter sports enthusiasts and tourists The town offers a mix of rich cultural heritage alongside its well-maintained ski facilities ensuring a memorable experience for visitors of all ages The official opening of the winter season will still take place on December 14 marked by the presence of Austrian alpine skiing legend Michael Walchhofer With an illustrious career that includes a World Championship title in downhill skiing Walchhofer brings a touch of prestige to the event a five-time winner of the Great Crystal Globe Both athletes will participate in a special competition "Join the Champion's Team," offering attractive prizes for registered skiers Bansko offers a range of events and games for visitors including the "Treasure Hunters" prize game The ice rink in Bansko is also a popular attraction with adults paying 25 lev and children 15 lev for two hours of skating Season passes are available for 500 leva for adults and 300 leva for children Bansko’s reputation as a leading ski resort is bolstered by its modern lifts diverse slopes suitable for all skill levels Families appreciate the resort’s child-friendly facilities while seasoned skiers value the challenging terrain and high-quality services Bansko continues to solidify its status as the winter capital of the Balkans drawing visitors from near and far to its snowy landscapes The Black Sea region in Bulgaria is facing a serious labor shortage ahead of the summer season a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria has halted all its operations effective April 24 chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel Association highlighted a major issue in Bulgaria’s tourism sector: a significant decline in the workforce executive director of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Management Professionals one-third of Bulgarian hoteliers are planning a modest price increase of about 10% Tourism in Bulgaria has made significant strides toward recovery in 2024 though it still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels of 2019 Bulgaria continues to lag behind neighboring countries in achieving significant growth in its tourism sector Despite the global escalation of the trade war there have been no significant negative trends in Bulgaria’s tourism sector so far The development of the region as a mission and the successful symbiosis between the neighboring municipalities were discussed by the mayors of Razlog and Bansko They took part in the BG Tourism - Winter 2024/2025 forum organized by BTA with the partnership of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism (BUBSPA) The Mayor of Razlog pointed out that the area has not only skiing opportunities but also mineral water a golf course and other features that attract tourists pointing out that he sees little advertising of native products at the expense of advertising of tourist sites of other countries My wish is to reverse the emphasis and be more present in Bulgaria and in other countries Gerchev also commented on Bulgaria's full accession to Schengen pointing out that this gives many opportunities because there are wonderful places that people don't know about Bansko Mayor Banenski said that the municipalities of Bansko as now the guests of a resort or tourist site want to visit as many places as possible he would like to see the Bear Park in Belitsa people want to see a lot of things in one week," Banenski explained.  The Mayor of Bansko put an emphasis on the communication with state authorities commenting on the need to be heard about the problems He gave as an example the topic of a second gondola lift in Bansko He noted that the construction of a second gondola line has been a topic for 20 years and not only Bansko but also other mountain resorts have such a problem and there are things that we can solve at the local level but this is not a problem of the municipality the mayor or the municipal council; it is a problem of the people," Banenski argued.  BTA's tourism forums are held twice every year at the beginning of the summer and winter tourist seasons to discuss the messages in the presentation of tourism in Bulgaria in the coming season with representatives of state and municipal institutions The list of participants in the latest forum includes caretaker Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev the President’s advisor for environment Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism (BUBSPA) Ambassador Meglena Plugchieva Also participating were Bulgarian National Radio Director General Milen Mitev member of the Board of Bulgarian National Television producer of the newsroom planning at Nova TV Council of Electronic Media member Gabriela Naplatanova as well as rectors and representatives of three universities Contacts +359 2 9262 210 This website uses cookies. By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages. DestinationsPlanningInspirationShopSearch SavesOpen main menuMaria StoyanovaBulgaria I’m Maria – a remote work ambassador, travel blogger, Content & Community manager, and adventurer from Bulgaria. I’m into snowboarding, wakeboarding, downhill mountain biking, motocross, surfing, and everything about the outdoors. I created my travel blog 10+ years ago to share practical tips about destinations, outdoors, and remote work in Bulgaria and beyond. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission The Municipality of Bansko is planning to build a runway for small aircraft This was decided at a public discussion on changes to the Municipal General Development Plan held this week at the Tourist Information Center in the Bulgarian town The municipal investment project envisages the construction of an airport for small aircraft with a runway length of up to 800 meters It is of strategic importance for the city and should improve transport accessibility as well as provide critical infrastructure for emergency assistance and for medical evacuations firefighting and other humanitarian operations All this will increase security in the region The project is part of our vision for better connectivity economic growth and better living conditions for all residents," said Deputy Mayor Eng According to the chairman of the Union of Tourism Businesses in Bansko the construction of the airport will be of key importance for the development of tourism in the region And we will be happy if the project is implemented," Bistrin told Economic.bg the idea for the project has been around for more than five years and the tourism industry is happy that it has finally been put on the municipal agenda The project will only bring benefits to our region we will rank among the most attractive winter resorts in the world," added Bistrin the positive effect will not only be for the town of Bansko "The safety of tourists will also increase significantly there will be an opportunity for immediate medical assistance," he said The Irish tourist injured in an accident near the Bansko ski resort on Tuesday has died the Bulgarian Red Cross said here on Wednesday The tourist suffered serious injuries after falling from a height of some 600 metres near the Banderitsa Hut The rescue operation and his transportation involved a rescue team of the Mountain Rescue Service in Bansko The victim was transported in serious condition with multiple injuries to the hospital in Razlog the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) of the Bulgarian Red Cross said that on January 28 received a call about an incident in which a 29-year-old Irish tourist was seriously injured after falling near Banderitsa Hut under Todorka Peak the tourist was part of a group taking photos against the backdrop of the beautiful scenery when he lost his balance and fell from a height of about 600 metres The rescue team of the MRS - Bansko assessed the condition of the victim as very serious and assistance was sought by air through the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service A rescue helicopter was dispatched but had to abort the mission and return to base due to a technical failure Although the helicopter was unable to reach the injured the rescue operation continued on the ground and thanks to the fast and professional work of the MRS team the injured tourist was given first aid and transported with a stretcher in a vacuum mattress to Banderishka Polyana from where he was taken down alive by a snowmobile to the parking lot of the Old Anchor and then to the hospital in Razlog by ambulance where he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday The MRS warned about ice in the mountains on Wednesday WATCH: Fire at ski resort in Turkey leaves 10 dead and 32 hurt A tourist at a ski resort in southern Bulgaria fell 600m to his death while "taking photos" on the mountain The Irish national was reported to to have been part of a group taking pictures of the surrounding scenery when he lost his balance at the resort in Bankso A mountain rescue service team discovered the 28-year-old and took him to a hospital in the nearby town of Razlog He was initially going to be taken by the country's only air ambulance but "due to a technical malfunction" the journey was aborted Bulgarian news agency Novinite reported the man was instead transported by snowmobile before being transferred to an ambulance Dr Valentin Belchev said the injured tourist "was taken to a hospital in critical condition where 'life-saving measures were taken and a full assessment of his injuries was carried out." he remained in a critical condition and died a day later on Wednesday an investigation has been launched as to why the helicopter experienced a malfunction Irish broadcaster RTE reports a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that it was "aware of the case and is providing consular assistance." It comes after an avalanche in the French Alps killed four Norwegian skiers after they were swept away by an off-piste torrent of snow and ice The victims were part of a group of seven skiers caught in the avalanche in Val-Cenis according to the public prosecutor’s office in Bonneville an investigation is under way after a British woman died following a "violent collision" on a ski slope in the French Alps The 62-year-old reportedly crashed into a stationary skier on the Aiguille Rouge mountain at the Les Arcs resort according to French news outlet Le Dauphine Zamfirova posted the fourth-best time in the qualifications She then easily eliminated three competitors before reaching the big final the best result for Bulgaria came from Kristian Georgiev The winner on Tuesday was Christoph Karner (Germany) who defeated Yannik Angenend (Austria) in the big final The award ceremony was held by the Mayor of Bansko and Bansko Ski Area Concessionaire Yulen AD Executive Director Maya Hristoskova A total of 91 snowboarders from 19 nations took part in the event The European Cup continues on Wednesday with another parallel giant slalom in Bansko By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages Please try again, contact support team for assistance or navigate to home page This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The FIS Snowboard World Cup in Bansko on January 18-19 featured good results for Bulgarian snowboarders two wins in a row for Germany's Ramona Theresia Hofmeister in the women's competition and victories for Austrian Andreas Prommegger on Saturday and Switzerland's Dario Caviezel on Sunday in the men's Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) special correspondent Georgi Krumov covered the event.  Bulgarian teenagers Tervel Zamrifov and Malena Zamfirova (brother and sister) achieved the best results in their careers while Radoslav Yankov was on the podium on Sunday with a third-place finish.  A total of 135 snowboarders from 19 countries took part in the competition.  The competition was officially opened on Friday evening by Youth and Sports Minister Ivan Peshev: "This establishes Bulgaria as a leading winter sports destination in Europe I especially want to thank the Bulgarian Ski Federation which has made great efforts in recent years and thanks to this Bulgaria has hosted dozens of rounds of the World Cups in alpine skiing and snowboarding," he said.  The crowd in Bansko had reasons to cheer on the first day of the event as 19-year-old Tervel Zamfirov achieved the best result of his career finishing fourth in the parallel giant slalom He got the better of his national team teammate Radoslav Yankov in the quarterfinals and finished just 0.13 seconds behind three-time world champion Andreas Prommegger in the semi-finals before losing to Italian Gabriel Messner in the battle for third place Austria's 44-year-old Prommegger went on to win the final but later paid tribute to Zamfirov saying that his victory in the semi-finals was very difficult and predicted a bright future for the Bulgarian talent He described the track this year as the best he has seen in Bansko so far Bulgaria's most successful snowboarder Radoslav Yankov expressed dissapointment with his fifth place but stressed that the country having two representatives in the top 8 is a great achievement In the women's competition, Germany's Ramona Theresia Hofmeister recorded her second consecutive victory in the FIS Snowboard World Cup she triumphed against the second in the FIS World Cup parallel giant slalom standings Tsubaki Miki of Japan by a margin of over half a second she described the conditions and the track as perfect Saturday marked the debut among the best female alpine snowboarders of 15-year-old Bulgarian Malena Zamfirova She finished 36th and added that the two starts in Bansko this weekend were a kind of training for her in order to gain more experience The winners from Saturday's parallel giant slaloms were awarded by Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh The second and third-placed snowboarders received their awards from Bansko Mayor Stoycho Banenski and Bulgarian Olympic Committee President Stefka Kostadinova The award ceremony took place in front of nearly 1,000 residents and guests of Bansko Zamfirova said she hoped for a better performance on Sunday The teenager finished the qualifications in 19th just 0.37 seconds away from joining the direct eliminations: "I have a very long way to go I know it is going to happen - I am going to ride in finals and get podiums someday," she said and noted that this result gives her the opportunity to take part in one more World Cup start this season Hofmeister made it three in a row reaching another first place on Sunday in a repeat of the final from the previous day against Japan's Tsubaki Miki Third place went to the Netherlands' Michelle Dekker who managed to get the better of Yankov in the semi-finals won the first place with a victory against Italian Gabriel Messner Bulgarian Ski Federation (BSF) President Tseko Minev said after the competition that Bansko is very close to becoming a permanent part of the men's Alpine Skiing World Cup calendar.  Malena Zamfirova finished third in the parallel giant slalom at the European Snowboard Cup in Bansko Zuzana Maderova (Czech Republic) won the women's event on Wednesday Petar Gergyovski| placed fifth and Christian Georgiev was sixth The Bulgarian winter resort for the first time holds events for the World and European Snowboard Cup five days apart A tragic incident occurred yesterday afternoon at the "Shiligarnika" ski slope in the area above Bansko where a 52-year-old man from the Republic of North Macedonia was found dead The preliminary cause of death is believed to be a massive heart attack the head of Bansko's volunteer mountain rescue team the man was seen climbing a section of the slope on foot A lift worker noticed the individual collapsing near the lift and immediately alerted the "Shiligarnika" Mountain Service post Rescuers arrived quickly and performed resuscitation efforts for approximately 40 minutes Despite their efforts and the arrival of an ambulance equipped with a cardiogram Medical professionals confirmed the man had suffered a massive heart attack The deceased was vacationing in Bansko with his family his children were waiting for him at Banderishka Polyana The man’s body has been transported for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death President Rumen Radev has urged North Macedonia to stop blaming Bulgaria for delays in its path toward EU membership The Minister of Transport of North Macedonia expressed frustration over the lack of response from Bulgaria regarding the construction of a railway line During the "EU Meets the Balkans" forum in Sofia North Macedonia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Zoran Dimitrovski addressed ongoing concerns surrounding his country's EU accession process Bulgaria has been awaiting a response from the Republic of North Macedonia regarding the draft agreement for the construction of a railway tunnel After reports emerged this week from Bulgarian media stating that Bulgaria is "fully ready to sign an agreement with North Macedonia and start construction on a cross-border railway tunnel along Corridor 8" Visit the RTÉ Home Page Click the Magic Door to see what's on the other side RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites A festival in an Eastern European mountain town gives us a clue as to which nations are producing digital nomads The week-long Bansko Nomad Fest is currently taking place in the small town located in south-west Bulgaria The area's better known by skiers for its affordable pistes and powder but this event has been running for three years and is now hosting 500 digital nomads from 41 different countries The festival organizers shared a breakdown (below) of the nationalities attending and Americans make up the biggest proportion For a country that’s wary of traveling to Europe due to concerns about the war in Ukraine Bulgaria is just one country away from the war-torn nation and others couldn't visit Europe due to Covid for a long time But the fact is that digital nomads from the U.S tend to represent the lion’s share of globetrotting workers in Eastern Europe Most digital nomads come from high income countries with strong passports they are also mostly entrepreneurs and have their own companies As the organziers told Skift: “Every one of them has a different story.” The festival includes activities like hiking but it's also corralled together 70 speakers for conference talks They'll be discussing everything from video production and Web3 to co-living tips and sharing what digital nomad life is like during the war in Ukraine Luxury travel and experiences outfit Inspirato is positioning its latest subscription product, called Select as a tactic companies can use to gain an edge when hiring Here's how it works: Inspirato will allow a company to co-brand its platform so it can let its employees pick a dreamy vacation without seeing the price tag; think a stay in a British Virgin Islands ocean-view villa Inspirato charges the company for the employee subscriptions Select currently allows subscribers to pick three trips from a list of more than 500,000 for an annual fee of $24,000 The new Select product is the "building block" for a new "Inspirato for Business" platform It launches soon, and could turn the traditional notion of the corporate travel subscription on its head. Most travel brands, including Airbnb, Selina and CitizenM, talk up the opportunities of intertwining remote work with hospitality but Inspirato thinks its new business package could be a secret weapon  for companies when hiring staff there are really big challenges on recruiting," said David Kallery "We have a number of subscribers that are using this as a recruiting tool and an Inspirato trip anytime over the next year." The company teased out a few details of Select back in May. In the future Inspirato for Business would also offer perks to incentivize staff as well as exorbitantly priced getaways to potential employees Kallery said Inspirato had been experimenting with this idea for a few years, following interest from a "mystery software firm." He shed more light on that describing it as one of the world's biggest customer relationship management platforms It's already spending about two million dollars a year on treating employees to luxury vacations "It’s so different to what a prospective employee would be asking for," he added "It really seems to be resonating." Inspirato is also in "active conversations" with two other enterprise companies that have between 25,000 and 40,000 employes The software firm was an "awesome partner" in helping Inspirato scale its business itself including the owner of a large car dealership were approaching the company to offer the scheme to their own staff as a perk He thinks the new platform could even replace "President's Clubs" — where top performers are treated to a company vacation "We happen to think those individual trips are powerful because you can orient them with your family rather than your colleagues," Kallery said that’s really what the recipients of these rewards want They’d rather go with their spouse and their children than the three buddies they see everyday at work." Inspirato has had a rough ride since its SPAC-fuelled listing in February this year It secured more than $100 million in net proceeds but since then has seen its share price halve Kallery wants Inspirato to have the same power as a Four Seasons for consumers for those who may not have heard of the luxury-focused Inspirato is whether the brand will resonate with candidates who aren't already members of the jet-setting elite Nomad Travel Specialist Makes Second Acquisition Staying with Europe, there are already signs of consolidation in the digital nomad space, as Flatio, which describes itself as the Czech Republic’s “Airbnb for monthly stays” has bought French startup Floasis (Skift covered it briefly back in June last year.) a housing provider for remote workers (terms of the sale were not disclosed but it was based on combination of cash and future revenues) follows Flatio's acquisition of assets belonging to NomadX in 2020 The Czech company said it wants to continue expanding into the rapidly growing digital nomad space Floasis was set up in 2020 by Lola Casamitjana and Kristina Kutan to make it easier for remote workers to find places to live and work abroad and offers fairly unique and quirky listings Flatio will integrate Floasis’s 236 listings into its platform and plans to onboard another 1,290 Flatio operated mainly in the Czech Republic and Hungary the company has since shifted focus to digital nomads and remote workers CORRECTION: This article incorrectly stated Flatio acquired NomadX based on misinformation provided by Flatio Per Diem is your source for the latest business travel and corporate travel news you agree to receive email communication from Skift Subscribe today to keep up with the latest travel industry news Already a subscriber? Login New users get20% offtheir first year of Skift Pro Bansko ski resort will host the 58th edition of the State Alpine Skiing Championship for Journalists on March 22 Exactly 36 representatives from 24 media outlets will compete for medals and prizes at the giant slalom competition on the Yulen track There will be three age groups in which the journalists will compete The organizers of the competition are the hosts from Ulen AD and the Bulgarian Ski Club of Journalists.  The BTA entrants in the Saturday race will be Balkan Desk editor Sofia Georgieva and photo journalist Vladimir Shokov Sofia Georgieva is last year's silver medalist from the State Alpine Skiing Championship for Journalists A LESSER-KNOWN city in Bulgaria has been named a trending destination for 2025 by Lonely Planet Earlier this week, travel giant Lonely Planet named the 10 best cities to visit next year as part of its Best in Travel 2025 series While none in the UK made the cut, there were a number from Europe that did feature, including Bansko in Bulgaria Located at the foot of the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria Bansko is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes Ellie Sugareva, who is the Team Manager for Bulgaria at Crystal Ski Holidays wasn't surprised to see Bansko as a trending destination she said: "Bansko has the beauty of an old traditional Bulgarian town in the foothills of Pirin mountains which is surrounded by streets lined with bars "Even though it’s Bulgaria’s biggest ski area it has a lot to offer beyond the slopes too including; museums for those who want to tap into the local culture restaurants offering traditional meals as well as modern cafes and themed restaurants in the new part of town "Other activities such as Bankso’s outdoor ice-skating rink (the largest in Bulgaria) are the perfect outing for groups and families Bulgarian-born Pav Todorova, 28, originally from Plovdiv, visited on school trips and holidays with her family. But it's not just Ellie and Pav who are already rating Bansko as a holiday destination, celebs like Gary Dourdan from American TV show CSI have been spotted on holiday in the Bulgarian city The cheap prices in Bansko are another draw for visitors, with Ellie adding: "Bansko offers great value for money – expenditure on food and drink will go a lot further here making it an attractive choice to budget-conscious travellers including families and beginner skiers." with a meal at an inexpensive restaurant costing £8 per person Pints of beer are said to cost just over £2, with a bottle of wine coming in at £5 the city's compact size is another draw who is the Team Manager for Bulgaria at Crystal Ski Holidays revealed her favourite places to visit in Bansko Ellie added: "Bansko is also more compact compared to most big resort names in France and with its well-known hospitality presence the town’s friendly residents are used to welcoming tourists." Those holidaymakers who want to go to Bansko for its skiing and snowboarding should visit the city between December and March because it gets reliable snow cover Other winter activities include ATV safaris through the Pirin Mountains a snowshoeing trip over the Rhodope range and sledding there are plenty of other things to do in Bansko throughout the rest of the year The city's old town is a maze of cobbled streets and traditional stone buildings with the Holy Trinity Church and its towering bell tower being a highlight There are a couple of museums like Velyanov House Set inside a traditional Bulgarian stone building the house is decorated with paintings and carved wooden ceilings Other buildings in Bansko's old town have been turned into mehanas, old-style taverns that serve traditional Bulgarian food and wine Local folk musicians also perform inside the mehanas Order local delicacies like Chomlek (beef stew) Kapama (a sauerkraut dish) bob Chorba (bean soup) and Sirene po Shopski (baked tomatoes Bansko is a two and a half hour drive from Sofia, the Bulgarian capital - and Brits can fly there with Wizz Air and Ryanair with return fares costing £30 The local language in Bansko is Bulgarian although people may speak English at the beach resorts Bulgaria is currently three hours ahead of the UK and the local currency is the Bulgaria lev with £10 getting around 22 lev Brits can stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days without a visa but your passport must have at least three months left after the day you plan to leave Earlier this year, Pav also revealed the little-known beaches holidaymakers should visit instead of heading to Sunny Beach One of those places is Veleka Beach in Sinemorets which is a tiny strip of land between the two bodies of water Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Bansko has quietly emerged as one of the world's newest remote working hubs in recent years you might feel you've been transported back to a simpler age gaggles of head-scarved grandmothers gossip beneath apple trees on street corners and Roma on horse-drawn carts whip their steeds along the road the marble peaks of south-west Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains march over pine-clad slopes looming over the town and its ski resort like the outstretched wings of a crouching dragon more than 700 entrepreneurs and freelancers packed the cafes of this provincial 10,000-person town in south-west Bulgaria as languages from Hebrew to Japanese filled the air a young German extolled the virtues of a four-hour work week to a packed auditorium while in the local park hundreds of digital nomads watched their peers speak on topics ranging from AI to networking strategies to health tips a heaving mass of festivalgoers danced and drank into the night at an outdoor bar Now in its fourth year, Bansko Nomad Fest has grown from a small gathering into the world's largest annual celebration of digital nomad life This week-long jamboree features dozens of live-streamed talks group dinners and activities such as bonfire parties and rafting all organised by a small army of volunteers Bansko's growing digital nomad population is at its most visible during the festival, but that's only half the story. According to online resource Nomad List, the town is the world's "most-consistently growing remote work hub" of the last five years This seems somewhat anomalous: surveys suggest digital nomads generally favour coastal cities (Lisbon why are more and more people heading for a small inland mountain resort in Bulgaria a German entrepreneur who came to Bansko in 2016 while researching places to set up a coworking space Zeitler was attracted by the area's natural beauty and its practical benefits: fast Wi-Fi affordable living costs and low taxes – which "We came here in the summer with a few friends, rented a house and decided this could be a good place for us to have a base," said Zeitler. In 2016 he opened the town's first coworking space, Coworking Bansko whose 729 available tickets sold out in 2023 "What really sets Bansko apart is how laid-back and welcoming the community is here," said Camille Poire a French marketing manager who has been coming here with her partner since 2018 "We're reminded of this every time we come back from our travels and plug back into the Bansko social life."  they're saying 'I can't go out anymore "The people of Bansko like this international atmosphere," said Deputy Mayor Sashka Vuchkova who explained that the increasing number of foreign and mixed families in the town – including Ukrainian refugees – is creating a multicultural atmosphere in schools "We have one class in which there are pupils from eight countries some of them not so well – but they're kids Some long-term digital nomads are building ties to the local community, such as Dutch-Colombian entrepreneur Jose Fiallo, who runs BanskoLab a cafe and cultural centre where children can take language classes and educational workshops Bansko's expat community includes plenty of the "crypto bros" life coaches and wellness gurus for which the digital nomad movement is often mocked Bulgarian IT workers Dimitar Durchov and Dimitar Vichev returned from abroad to start the business after spotting a niche for a smart corporate-style coworking space – "a welcoming place where you feel like home but not home enough so you're distracted from work," said Vichev Bansko isn't only luring foreign digital nomads – Bulgarians are also taking advantage decamping from Sofia or even relocating from overseas "I'd been living in London with my family since I was 12 and thought I'd never live in Bulgaria again," said Bulgarian-born Vladimir Dimitrov who moved to Bansko five years ago after realising he could combine online work with snowboarding and mountain biking Dimitrov's case illustrates a growing trend: some nomads enjoy Bansko's relaxed lifestyle so much that they are putting down roots they remain affordable – a one-bedroom apartment costs €40,000-70,000 though only those with residency can buy land.) Monthly rent is also relatively cheap (one-bedroom apartments cost €300-500) According to Eli Tsoneva, a local estate agent at Plus Property nomads account for around 5% of sales in Bansko with other foreign investors dominating the market "Thirty percent of our agency's buyers are Bulgarian," she said As for Zeitler, he is pursuing his own dream: transforming a vast, abandoned Communist-era hotel in the nearby forest into the ultimate communal residential space for digital nomads. Featuring 200 units, a multi-level lobby, swimming pool, auditorium and panoramic views, the Coliving Semkovo co-operative will be "a community for the community" Coliving Semkovo will be an adult-only space but Bottjer is already noticing a trend for "digital nomad families" moving to Bansko "I think that's going to be the next big thing especially with the cost of living going up in places like the UK and the US," she said adding that once people have experienced life in Bansko "There's a kind of magic here," she said but people seem to keep coming back." Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called "The Essential List". A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. 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